Monday, August 22, 2011

The Griswalds join the Cub Scouts

I have been trying to get the boys (my 6 & 7 year old) to join some sort of sport or organization or something for a few years. I just wanted them to belong to something that would teach them discipline and teamwork and responsibility; basically everything I have been trying to instill in them, but have had very little luck in up to this point.

So far we've tried T-ball, which might have been okay, but we just couldn't find a very good team. And by good - I don't mean a winning team. I mean a team where the coaches were organized and the parents actually came to practice- instead of just using the team as a babysitter-and there was not all the drama with the grown-ups.

So, this year, it's Cub Scouts. Let me preface this by saying that my kids had no idea what Cub Scouts were. I thought it might be a good choice because 'D' - the 6yr old - hasn't been very successful in contact sports. His first T-ball game, he close-lined a player on the other team when they caught the ball that he hit. He rounded second (after they already called him out at 1st), took out the Short-Stop, stole the ball, ran home with it, and then spiked it on the home plate. 'A' - the 7yr old - was actually pretty good and a real fast runner. He also has a small case of OCD and ADD and would occasionally zone out - as the ball rolled right into his shoes. It would take the coaches and the entire stands shouting his name before he would look up and say, "What?"

I thought, "Maybe my boys are not athletes; I know! Maybe they are Cub Scouts!" It's perfect! They get to wear uniforms and be on a team - sort of - and there is no physical contact and what better place for an OCD - but a place where you get to practice tying knots, over and over again. Perfect!

Tonight was our first meeting. I told the hubby that we would leave as soon as I got home from work and to make sure 'D' kept his clothes on when he got home. Yes, 'D' is a nudist and he drops all of his clothes with his backpack by the front door when he comes home every day. So, I came home and asked the hubby if the boys were ready. He smirked and said, "Sure." I called the boys and as I saw them I said, "Ummm, 'D' - we are actually going somewhere tonight; do you think you might want to wear something different?" "Oh yeah, mom I know; I also need to put my hat on."

So, here is what we rolled up to Cub Scouts tonight with 'D' looking like.

When 'D' saw the other Cub Scouts - in their uniforms - he said, "Hey, mom look! I'm wearing boots just like the rest of them!" (They were wearing hiking boots or some variation of that.) "Ummmm, yeah 'D' - you fit right in."

'A' actually said then, "Hey, I'm the only one not wearing a uniform! Even 'D' is wearing is one! I look stupid."

I'm just staring at the two of them wondering how neither of them could not notice that 'D' looked like a Dallas Cowboy/Cowboy. So, of course 'A' sees everyone staring at them and thinks they are staring at him because he's not dressed up for Halloween and 'D' knows everyone is staring at him but thanks it's because he looks so awesome and the hubby is hiding because he doesn't want anyone to think he's with us. I think he stood by another kid and tried to pass him off as his son.

So, 'A' was feeling really self-conscious and of course his little outgoing bro had to make his big bro feel better............so for the next half hour 'D' walked 'A' around to everyone and said, "Hey, watch what my brother can do.........'A' - flip your eyelids inside out."

It's a good thing that the Boy Scouts of America can't really turn you down.